Chapter 5: Show me the way of life
Twenty minutes later, Greg and Sara arrived at Four Winds Lane. Without saying a word Greg walked up to his door. Sara followed him, also without saying a word. When Greg had opened the door, Mandy immediately ran up to him.
"Daddy! You're home!"
"Hey, Princess!" Greg lifted her up to hug her. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, Kyra just woke me up ten minutes ago," Mandy replied. "She was going to make me pancakes, Daddy!"
"Oh, really?" Greg smiled. "Well, Kyra, maybe you have to make some more then, it sounds great!"
"Sure!" Kyra called from the kitchen. "Pancakes for three, coming up!"
"Hey, Kyra," Sara said. Kyra immediately left the kitchen. "Sara, you're here already! Greg, this is Sara, I live with her. Sara, this is…"
"Greg, I know," Sara interrupted her. "I work together with him."
"Oh…" Kyra fell silent. Greg had started to stare at Sara when Kyra had announced she lived with her, but now he came back to his senses. "Mandy, why don't you go into the kitchen to eat those pancakes? I'll be right there, Princess."
"Okay, Daddy," Mandy said. She skipped to the kitchen.
"I'll join her, then you two can talk," Kyra said, who realized that was necessary. She left the living room. With her mouth still half open, Sara sat down.
"You have a daughter, Greg?"
"Yes," he sighed. "Mandy, she's eight. I never told anyone about her."
"Why not, Greg?" Sara said. "She seems like a great girl!"
"Because I can't explain, okay?" Greg now shouted. He immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry, Sar, I didn't mean to shout at you. Come here." Sara sat down next to him as he wanted.
"Tell me, Greg. I want to know."
"Okay…" He took a deep breath.
"Nine years ago... I fell in love with this girl named Ellen. We were quite happy and well... you know, I'm not a saint. Anyway, Ellen got pregnant and we were both really excited about it. At least… I was excited about it... and it seemed like Ellen was as well. For nine months, I was at her side to help her and finally, she was ready to give birth. Mandy was born at the hospital, but as soon as she was in my arms, Ellen said: "She's all yours, Greg. I'm way too young to have a kid. As soon as I can, I'm leaving Las Vegas and I'm never coming back. I don't care what you do with her, just keep her away from me." And she did. She left Vegas twelve hours after giving birth and I had a little girl to look after. I stayed with her the first year of her life, surviving by borrowing money from my parents, who luckily helped out a lot. When Mandy was a year old, I started working at the Crime Lab and I was able to take care of her all by myself. And that's the whole story," Greg ended.
Sara didn't know what to say. Finally, she found her voice again and said: "Greg, you're amazing. Taking care of a little girl all alone for all those years… But why didn't you tell anyone sooner?"
"I couldn't, I didn't know what to say!" Greg said. "Mandy thinks her mother died while giving birth to her, I can't tell her that her mother is somewhere out there, but wants nothing to do with her?"
"I'm so sorry about Ellen, Greg," Sara softly said.
Greg grabbed her hand. "It's okay, Sara. I've got Mandy... and you!"
Sara smiled at him. "Yeah, you've got me too, Greg!"
"Guys, the pancakes are getting cold," Kyra warned from the kitchen.
"We'll be right there!" Greg said. "So… she lives with you? Care to explain?"
Sara smiled again. "I guess it's my turn now? Okay then. Kyra is the oldest daughter of my best friend in college. Well, my only friend in college. We shared a room all those years in college and kept in contact when we left. She was like my soul mate, we'd never keep a secret from each other. Weird, actually, considering the fact she was nine years older than me. Anyway, three years after college, she got married and almost immediately got pregnant. Kyra was born and ten years later, she got a little sister. When Kyra was fourteen, I moved to Vegas and my best friend was crazy enough to find a job here as well.She moved with her whole family to Vegas, just to be in the same city as me. I'd see Kyra and her sister almost every day and it was a bit like they were my children as well. But then… A few months ago, Warrick and Nick got assigned a case of a car accident, remember, Greg?"
"Yes," he said. "A drunk driver bumped into another car, three people died, the driver and one other person in that other car survived…" Suddenly, he realized. "Kyra survived that accident, it was your best friend, herhusband and Kyra's sister in the car! Oh, Sara!"
"Yes," Sara nodded with tears in her eyes. "Kyra was the only one to survive. She's being having nightmares about it ever since. But she didn't have anyone to live with anymore at all, so I immediately said she could live with me. After all, it feels a bit like she's my daughter as well."
Greg pulled her into a hug. "You're amazing too, Sara. It's not easy, taking care of someone alone."
"Why don't we just tell everyone at work?" Sara suddenly suggested. "And… about us, too. Because I really want this to work for more than just a few months."
"Me, too," Greg smiled. They slowly kissed and both felt the love going through their bodies.
"Daddy, the pancakes are nearly cold!"
"Coming, Princess!" Greg kissed Sara again. "Come on, other Princess, let's get some breakfast!"
"Daughters!"
That's how Catherine entered the break room at the beginning of shift. Greg and Sara both raised their eyebrows.
"Something wrong with Lindsey?" Warrick inquired.
"Yeah, secrets, not wanting to tell me where she's going all of a sudden," Catherine sighed, missing the looks Greg and Sara exchanged.
Nick and Grissom entered the break room. Sara nervously squeezed Greg's hand under the table.
"Okay, new assignments!" Grissom began. "Catherine, Warrick, you have a…"
"Lindsey!"
Grissom looked up from his papers, Catherine got up from her chair. "Lindsey, what are you doing here?"
"Bringing a surprise for all of you," Lindsey answered. She stepped aside so everyone could see Mandy. "Who's that?" Nick said. Mandy smiled and ran up to Greg. "Hey, Daddy!"
"Daddy?"
Warrick, Nick, Catherine and Grissom all stared at Greg. Mandy grinned. "Hey, Sara!"
"Wait, what's going on here?" Catherine asked. "Lindsey? What's this?"
Kyra joined Lindsey now. "Should we tell her, Linds? Or perhaps Greg and Sara should!"
"Who are you?" Warrick said.
"Kyra, I live with Sara," Kyra said, enjoying the amazed looks she got. "And that's Mandy, she's with Greg."
"Okay, now I want someone to tell me what's going on here!" Catherine said.
"Relax, I'll tell you," Greg said. And for the third time he told the whole story. Mandy stared at him when she heard for the first time her mother was still alive. "Where is she, Daddy?"
"I don't know, Princess," Greg softly answered. Tears appeared in his daughter's eyes. "Why doesn't she want to be with me?"
"Hey, Mandy, don't cry!" Sara lifted Mandy from Greg. "You have your Daddy who loves you very much, and Kyra who cares a lot about you…"
"And me too!" Lindsey suddenly said with a smile. "I could be like your big sister, Mandy!"
"I like that," Mandy quietly said. "But I still don't have a Mommy…"
Catherine wanted to get up to help cheer up Mandy, but Sara beat her to it. "You know what, Mandy? You can call me your Mommy!"
"Really?" Mandy's whole face lit up. Grissom just stared at her and Sara. Sara noticed it. "Yeah, Greg and I… Well…"
"Save your breath, Sar, we're happy for the two of you," Nick smiled. Grissom didn't say anything, but his look told Sara more than a thousand words.
"I'm sorry, Gris," she said.
He shook his head. "No, it's alright, Sara. Really."
Exactly one year later, everyone who had been in the break room were together again. And this time not in the break room, but at the church for Sara and Greg's wedding. Mandy was so excited that she was finally going to have a real Mom and Sara was excited about that as well. Over the past few months, she had really started to see Mandy as her own daughter and she was happy she'd be able to share the rest of her life with the little girl. And with Greg of course! The two of them were still as madly in love as a year ago and everyone could see they really loved each other.
After the wedding, Kyra and Lindsey had organized a little party for Sara and Greg with a lot of music. "I think this first song is absolutely perfect for tonight," Lindsey said with a huge smile. "Right, Kyra?"
"Right!" Kyra smiled. "Sara and Greg, this one's for you!"
"So call on the secret life
Call on the secret life
Show me the way of life
Bring on the secret life"